Tahiti

Island-hop | lodging landscape | local culture | Sea & sky

The Islands of Tahiti

There’s a lot you may know about The Islands of Tahiti, even if you’ve seen only the screensaver version: that they’re home to arguably the most idyllic peaks on earth, with densely forested slopes gilded by sunbeams and/or draped in mists. That the surrounding transparent lagoons can barely conceal the kaleidoscope of creatures within. That the ideal ratio of palms to hammocks is magically achieved on every powdered-sugar beach here. Now imagine how much better those 118 islands are once you factor in what you may not know: that despite seeming a galaxy away, they’re more or less an eight-hour flight from LAX, a nine-hour flight from SFO and a 10-hour flight from Seattle — on the same side of the International Date Line as North America, and in the same time zone as Hawaii. That even though they famously birthed the overwater bungalow, they also offer an array of beautiful family guesthouses, chartered liveaboards and island cruise ships. That English is widely spoken here, even though French is the official language and Tahitian, Paumotu and Marquesan are spoken at home. And that the force is strong here (i.e., the all-connecting life force known as Mana). You're bound to feel it if you pay attention, and that bonus layer of experience is something you'll surely treasure, whether you’re traveling for adventure, romance or relaxation. Read on for the details.

In the attempt to experience maximum mana — because who wouldn't want to plug into a beautiful force that's said to connect all beings, elements and objects? — you'll be inspired to explore as much as possible. But with 118 islands to choose from, you may not know where to begin. Which is where this quick island-hopping primer comes in. If you're arriving by air, you'll land in the The Society Islands, home to the actual island of Tahiti. The capital of Papeete serves as an international gateway as well as a political, commercial and cultural hub where you’ll find great markets, restaurants and museums. From there, you’ll want to make your way to nearby Moorea, whose lush slopes tower over turquoise waters that become a humpback highway from July to November. You'll also want to get to Bora Bora, where the palm-fringed, sugary white beaches look particularly paradisiacal with the island’s iconic Otemanu peak in the backdrop.

Then there are the less visited Society Islands — among them, Taha’a, known as Vanilla Island for its fragrant signature crop; Huahine, a onetime enclave of Tahitian nobility, and still home to a wealth of temple ruins; and Raiatea, the most sacred island in the region. This last island is also home to a sprawling World Heritage site: Taputapuātea, where the worlds of the living and the ancestors are believed to intersect in a complex of marae, “an exceptional testimony to 1,000 years of mā'ohi civilization,” according to UNESCO. The lush local valleys and coral-studded lagoon have an air of the supernatural about them, too, as you'll discover once you start hiking and snorkeling your way through them.

If you want to explore even farther afield, consider the Tuamotu Islands, where one major highlight is Rangiroa — snorkel and dive central thanks to its sandbars and lagoons. And another is Fakarava, a UNESCO-designated Biosphere Reserve where shark-seeking divers fare especially well. Want to feel still more secluded? Maybe The Marquesas Islands are for you: Nearly 1,000 miles from Tahiti, these islands are worth the voyage for their skyscraping mountains, remote beaches, dense forests, hidden waterfalls and ancient sacred sites. More remote still: the Gambier Islands, rich in pearl farms and 19th-century Catholic relics, from convents to schools to the church of St. Michel of Rikitea (don’t miss the mother-of-pearl inlay in the altar). And if you’re looking for an off-the-beaten-path archipelago a bit closer to Tahiti, consider the Austral Islands (accessible by freighter, as you’ll see in the cruise section below), where the farming, fishing and artisan communities offer an unforgettable glimpse into local life.

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If you’d prefer to spend most of your time on the open water, your options are just as amazing. Divers in search of liveaboards will want to check out Aqua Polynésie, a company that runs trips of 7-14 nights around Fakarava, where the scene below the surface is nothing short of hallucinatory, with particularly notable shark dives. If you'd rather spend only some (or none) of your time diving, but still want to navigate these eye-popping waters, consider Paul Gauguin Cruises, known for award-winning cuisine, rousing Polynesian entertainment, decadent spa treatments and private island retreats. Anyone who loves the romance of billowing white sails, teak decks and alfresco meals on private motus should think about a Windstar yacht cruise. And if you'd like to see the majority of the Society Islands in eight days — or you have 11 days to work with and want to add the Tuamotus into the mix — consider the new program aboard the Motor Sailer Panorama II from Variety Cruises. The most adventurous sailors should check out the mixed passenger-freighter voyages by Aranui Cruises, some of which will take you as far as the largely unvisited Austral Islands. Would you rather chart your own course though The Islands of Tahiti? There are yacht charters for that.

With increasing conscientiousness toward the environments and communities that surround them, many of these resorts are bringing on sustainable development officers (The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort, for one), marine biologists, reef repair experts and others. Even so, the most sustainability-minded travelers will want to immerse themselves in island life by staying in Tahitian Guesthouses — known locally as pensions — many of which are family-owned and come with home-cooked Tahitian breakfasts and dinners, to say nothing of the opportunity to hang out and learn from locals. Tahiti, Bora Bora and Moorea are particular hotspots, but you can also find these kinds of stays on Rangiroa, Fakarava and farther flung Islands of Tahiti. Alternatively, if you want to take the concept of an eco-conscious home stay to the poshest point on the spectrum, consider the likes of Bora Bora One, a spacious, solar-powered estate with (among other amenities) an organic garden for your onsite chef to work with.

One of the world’s most iconic forms of bucket-list lodging was born in The Islands of Tahiti in the 1960s, when the so-called Bali Hai Boys — taking inspiration from thatched-roof fishing huts — built the first three bungalows on stilts over a lagoon. For good measure, part of the living room floor was replaced with Plexiglas, giving rise to another icon: “Tahitian TV,” i.e., the never-ending spectacle underfoot when you’re positioned directly above these teeming waters. (Hard to say what’s more fun to watch: a school of rainbow-colored fish passing through, or your partner trying to smile up at you while holding the perfect pose for the Instagram grid.) That said, not all overwater bungalows have see-through cut-outs (not even all the most luxurious ones), so if that feature is important to you, make sure to confirm that it’s on offer at your bungalow of choice, such as those at The St. Regis Bora Bora — famously enormous (particularly in the Deluxe and Royal categories) and butler-attended. Another good choice: Sofitel Kia Ora Moorea Beach Resort, in a protected marine area off the island’s longest beach. But regardless of the island or the resort, there’s nothing like a hotel room that lets you roll out of bed and into the surrounding South Pacific.

The one cultural element you’re all but guaranteed to experience — and thoroughly enjoy — during your stay, however, is a local dinner under the stars with traditional music and dance for live entertainment. Again, details will vary by island group and performance troupe, but there are some common elements: legend-recounting balladeers; thigh-slapping warriors; hip-shaking vahine and knife-twirling fire dancers. As for the hard-to-resist food, expect it to be heavy on the coconut, banana, taro, breadfruit, sweet potato, fish, pork and tropical fruit. And if the feast is particularly traditional, it will have been prepared in an underground oven that lends a whole extra layer of charcoal-infused flavor.

Another cultural hallmark that dates back thousands of years, and that’s seen a major resurgence of late, is tattoo. Known locally as tatau — a word that mimics the sound of the tool that create this famously bold and beautiful body art — the practice was once banned by missionaries. But traditional tattoos have come back so strong that outsiders often want to go home with their own. Indeed, the aforementioned passenger-freighter ship that runs between Tahiti and the Marquesas has a resident tattoo artist who’ll turn your life story into a wearable masterpiece during the cruise, and a number of local tattoo studios' websites include FAQs on tattoo care for travelers. While the symbology differs from island group to island group and person to person, serving as a kind of ID, commonalities include earth, sea and sky motifs.

Of course, seafaring isn’t just an efficient way to see and do as much as possible. It’s part of the local DNA that can — if you really want to immerse yourself — grant you a gorgeous glimpse into the islands’ cultural heritage. Just outside the capital of Papeete, at the École de Pirogue à Voile Traditionnelle, for example, you can study the ancient art of celestial wayfinding — that is, navigating the surrounding water in a traditional outrigger canoe without the aid of GPS or other modern instruments. Since time immemorial, this is how Polynesians made their way around, and the skill — which also involves reading currents, clouds and even avian clues — is seeing a slow but steady resurgence.

Another tough but hugely rewarding trek is Raiatea’s Mount Temehani Rahi, where the endemic Tiare Apetahi will scent your pursuit of the ultimate payoff: views of the lagoon plus neighboring Taha’a, Huahine, Bora Bora and Maupiti. (On a side note, when you’re not specifically going for ocean views, consider the array of hikes into the islands’ interiors, where you’ll find stunning valleys, rivers and waterfalls, for starters). For the ultimate view, of course, you’ll want to get airborne — and thanks to parasailing and paragliding operations in Moorea, Bora Bora and Tahiti, you can feel the mana from the skies.

Riding the waves is another local passion, whether on a surfboard, body board or stand-up paddleboard (though you can also find plenty of tranquil, flat water to SUP on, too). Tahiti alone is home to more than 30 surfing spots, the most famous of which is Teahupo’o — an intimidating but amazing break that draws top talent from around the world, including Kelly Slater, whose Outerknown brand sponsored the most recent Tahiti Pro competition. But there are also plenty of beginner-friendly spots, as well as surf schools that dot the west coast of Tahiti. And those outrigger canoes we mentioned earlier? They’re not just for celestial wayfinding: Racing them is big, too, sometimes through waves — other through glassy waters — always (ideally) guided by that local mana life force. You can take lessons through Tahiti Va’a Inc.

For all the cultural treasures scattered among these islands, it’s the treasure below the surface that beckons many travelers — and not just the divers who plan liveaboard vacations. Snorkelers do particularly well in this part of the world because so many of the lagoons are so shallow, you can experience a preponderance of stunning marine life without having to go deep. Highlights include electric blue-edged giant clams, rainbow-colored parrotfish, polka dotted damsel fish, stripey angel fish, Nemo-evoking clownfish, wide-winged rays and delightfully creepy moray eels. Other ways to take in this spectacle include aquascopes (see-through chambers on small, specialized boats), helmet diving (whereby you’re constantly connected to an air supply at the surface) and underwater scooters.

Tahiti

St. Regis Bora Bora Overwater Bungalow | credit: John Kincaid

Island-hop

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Go below the surface— and high above it

Moorea

Bora Bora

Sofitel Kia Ora Moorea Beach Resort

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Taputapuātea on Raiatea

Huahine

Taha'a

The Marquesas

Fakarava

Rangiroa

Austral Islands

Gambier Islands

The Marquesas

Among the best ways to appreciate the water, of course, is to get high above it — where you can take in the whole, otherworldly vista. Again, you have amazing options, hiking being a favorite. On Moorea, try the classic Col Des Trois Pinus trail for a stunning, two-bay view (plus plenty of lush, mountainous scenery in between) — or Magic Mountain, a vantage point that plenty of people drive to, but the hike makes the South Pacific panorama all the more rewarding. On Bora Bora, rather than attempt an ascent of the iconic Otemanu, whose summit is impenetrable, go for the shorter sibling peak: Mount Pahia, a difficult but worthy goal that will grant you breathtaking views across the island and the water.

Island-hop | lodging landscape | local culture | Sea & sky